[FR]: Disable PWA install prompts by default

Description

Block annoying PWA/app install prompts automatically to keep the browser private and clean.

Who's implementing?

• I'm willing to implement this feature myself

The problem

When I use WhatsApp Web (or other sites have PWA), it constantly asks me to install their app or PWA. This is annoying and bad for privacy because it tries to force users to leave the safe browser session and move into a standalone desktop app. Accidental clicks on these prompts reduce user privacy by encouraging users to move away from a sandboxed browser session into a standalone, system-integrated application.

This goes directly against Helium promises: "Build around privacy and consent" and "no need to 'opt-out' of anything." (I am not consenting that annoying PWA to install and if i misclick it on the taskbar, it gets speedy installed)

Having aggressive PWA install flags enabled by default contradicts this philosophy.

Right now, even a default installation of uBlock Origin doesn't block these PWA banners automatically (not even other adblockers as literally a PWA isn't classified as ADs, so users are forced to manually decline Windows taskbar prompts (every day and even after a page refresh), or tweak chrome://flags themselves.

Possible solutions

Since Helium focuses on providing a private and distraction-free browser environment, it would be great to have a built-in toggle or default behavior to:

• Block site-driven PWA install banners/prompts (or strip PWA manifest install hooks).
• Prevent websites from detecting desktop PWA readiness to stop pushy install dialogs.
• Set PWA install and link-capturing flags to Disabled by default. Even with taskbar pinning options set to disabled, background flags still force pop-ups and try to pin apps like WhatsApp to the taskbar.

Also it must be setted a list of specific chromium flags that should be set to disabled by default:

• #enable-user-navigation-capturing-pwa (Desktop PWA Link Capturing): This is the main culprit. Even if #web-app-install-dialog-win-pin is Disabled, this flag captures web navigation and tells Helium to pin ask there is a PWA Link to install
• #enable-desktop-pwas-tab-strip: Enabled by default in Chromium. It signals to the website that the browser supports tabbed mode for desktop apps, triggering WhatsApp's internal scripts to detect compatibility.
• #enable-desktop-pwas-tab-strip-customizations: Enabled by default. It allows WhatsApp's manifest file to send instructions to the browser to customize the window and urge the user to install.

Additional context

As a side note, this behavior was tested on: Windows 11 25H2 using Helium Browser version Version 0.17.1.1 (Official Build, Chromium 153.0.8010.47) (64-bit)

Even with a fresh profile and default settings, WhatsApp Web triggers the PWA install popup almost immediately upon use on the browser

I was unable to find any other Feature Request for this, so I decided to bring it up here in hopes of seeing a real change. It has been getting really annoying how everything tries to push an app from the Store or a web wrapper onto your system after just a single accidental click. This is a privacy concern and breaks user trust not just in the web app itself, but in the browser that is supposed to protect us from these patterns.